Superintendent's Memo #110-09

COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

April 24, 2009

TO: Division Superintendents

FROM: Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT: Submission and Online Technical Assistance for the 2009-2010 Federal Program Applications under Public Law 107-110, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and Public Law 111-5, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)

The 2009-2010 federal program applications under Public Law 107-110, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) are available on the Department of Education’s website at: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/federal_programs/esea/applications/index.shtml. Additionally, the requirements for applying for funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) for Title I, Part A; Title I, Part D, Subpart 2; and Title II, Part D have been incorporated as appropriate into the NCLB application. The Department will provide guidance for school divisions in completing the 2009-2010 applications through the availability of Web-based technical assistance modules and an audio conference.

Each application is accompanied by a set of guidelines and instructions and the name of a program contact person at the Department. The available applications are the local consolidated application and the following individual program applications:

Title I, Part A, Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies (Both NCLB and ARRA are addressed in the application.);

Title I, Part C, Education of Migratory Children;

Title I, Part D, Subpart 1, Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk;

Title I, Part D, Subpart 2, Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk (Both NCLB and ARRA are addressed in the application.);

Title II, Part A, Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals;

Title II, Part D, Enhancing Education Through Technology (Both NCLB and ARRA are addressed in the application.);

Title III, Part A, Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students;

Title IV, Part A, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act; and

Title VI, Part B, Subpart 2, Rural and Low-Income School Program.

The deadline for all federal applications is July 1, 2009. A school division that submits an approvable individual or consolidated application by July 1, 2009, will have the NCLB 2009-2010 funds available on a reimbursement basis as of July 1, 2009. A school division that submits an approvable application after July 1, 2009, will have the NCLB 2009-2010 funds available on a reimbursement basis as of the date the application is received at the Department. ARRA Title I, Part A funds will be available on a reimbursement basis as of February 17, 2009.

Divisions may choose to change from submitting individual program applications to a local consolidated application, or from submitting a local consolidated application to individual program applications. Divisions may also submit a combination of a local consolidated application and one or more individual program applications.

Until the final allocations for 2009-2010 are released, the 2008-2009 federal allocations should be used to complete the budget sections of the applications for NCLB programs. Revisions may be submitted to adjust program expenses at any time during the process until the application is fully approved. Once the application is approved, amendments will be required.

To provide technical assistance to school divisions for completion of the applications, Web-based technical assistance modules will be available for each program. The following general modules will also be available: Application Overview, Conducting the Needs Assessment, Completing the Program Overview, Coordination of Services, Measurable Objectives, and Budget Pages.

Optional follow-up audio conferences will be held on Wednesday, May 6, 2009, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The toll-free call-in number is (866) 842-5779 and the conference code is 8042252869. School divisions are asked to assemble their representatives at one location and use a speakerphone to participate at the assigned time.

For divisions desiring to participate in the audio conference follow-up sessions, Attachment A contains a response form to be returned by fax on or before May 4, 2009, to Marsha Granderson, grants and reports manager, at (804) 371-7347. The form contains a place to list questions you would like addressed at the audio conference.

Please contact the appropriate program representative as needed during the application completion and revision process. If there are questions related to the mechanics of completing the application, please contact Becky Marable, reports and grants manager, at (804) 371-0044, or by e-mail at Rebecca.Marable@doe.virginia.gov.

After application completion, questions related to the electronic submission of the application through the Department’s Online Management of Education Grant Awards (OMEGA) system should be directed to OMEGA support at (804) 371-0993, or by e-mail at Omega.Support@doe.virginia.gov.